On May 4, more than 350 American and Chinese fashionistas, international tastemakers, business titans, art lovers, and China aficionados gathered at the Plaza Hotel for a celebration of Chinese design at the 2018 China Fashion Gala.

The highlight of the evening was a full-length couture fashion show by Chinese designer Grace Chen, who has helped to establish the iconic image of modern Chinese women worldwide. Chen graduated in 1996 from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she was the first alumnus from mainland China. Following the show, Chen and Yue-Sai Kan, a beauty and media icon in China who helped introduce cosmetics and fashion to the country as it opened up to the world, walked the runway together to huge applause.

“We are thrilled to co-present the China Fashion Gala again this year, and to support our newly established China Fashion Initiative,” said China Institute’s SVP and Chief Development Officer Andrea Sanseverino Galan. “With the increasing and undeniable global influence of Chinese art and aesthetics, we’re delighted to shine a light on the individuals who have helped position Chinese fashion on the world stage and to provide a platform for the young talent that will continue to do so in the future.”

A video created by the winners of the China Institute’s China Fashion Competition, Yanting and Yanchen Yao, students at Parsons School of Design, was also shown at the event. The Yao twins’ designs were influenced by the story of their grandparents, who were workers in southern China and experienced both the marvels of rapid-fire modernization and the loneliness that accompanies the demolition of communities. “We want to go back to China and start something new there. This is going to be hard,” said Yanting. “But exciting,” added Yanchen.